SCOUTING REPORT: Solving the creativity problem in 2021 (LONG READ)

by .

Today’s scouting report is brought to you by the excellent Mike McDonald. He’s a coach and a love of all things transfers. This is a good one, enjoy and follow him @mike_mmcdonald. Also stay tuned until the end because there’s a BANGER of a new podcast for you with Janan Ganesh.

Arsenal, as a club, is lost. We’re in the desert. We’ve been searching for water to no avail. Dehydration is kicking in. The mouth is parched. Our tongues are dry and we’re praying to the footballing gods on our knees.

It’s creativity juice Arsenal pine for. The situation is so desperate, we can’t stop talking about a player who isn’t even registered and lost his thirst for football 3 years ago.

Creativity can come from four directions in the modern game.

It can come from the South. An on or off the ball ‘8’ that penetrates from midfield.

The East and West are providing most of the creativity these days. Wingers that wander.

The North offers a ‘Firmino type’ striker who connects for the benefit of others (see upcoming Striker blog).

Beyond the four compass points there are only a few teams left that still play with a ‘10,’ normally in a 4-2-3-1. As the game is becoming more compact the ‘10’ has to wander too, often to the wing to overload and slide balls behind the full-back into zones 16 and 18.

Before the detective work ensues, it’s fair to state that Arsenal has options in all 5 of these areas already.

They are yet to work or haven’t been trusted, yet (against decent oppo at least).

The North could be where Aubameyang or Martinelli rescue us. Nketiah too but I feel he needs us to play a certain way to get his best.

The East and West hasn’t seen Saka visit much or Nelson trusted. Willian created much for Chelsea there and Martinelli finds his natural home there. Pepe would be a success out East if only he’d play as an inside forward like Salah. Touch, shoot!

The South is where Willock could arrive from as he has done so well in the Europa League. I’d love to see Maitland-Niles given his chance here and I believe Partey was signed on a promise to be let off the leash and free to go box to box too.

The concept of Willian as a ‘10’ was what we thought we were signing too.

Emile Smith-Rowe in my mind is multi-talented and could play in at least 4 of the 5 positions if he can avoid the sniper at Colney that seems to show up every Tuesday of a Europa week.

In a perfect world these players would find fitness and form so we’d truly know if the transfer market were needed. As of now, fitness and form is not happening so here is a list of potential targets. I’m a fan of all these players and would be thrilled with any of them at Arsenal. Not sure if I’m indecisive or there are slews of players that would improve Arsenal right now as once again, we are panting for creative water.

The Zone 14 player

Firstly, there isn’t a list of players that exclusively play centrally as a ‘10’ and are potentially available. Those days are mostly in the past. These players play wide if you look at the pre-game formation but frequently find themselves in Zone 14 if you watch the game.

Martin Ødegaard (Real Madrid) 21

Perhaps my favourite European player. If I had endless money and a way to hypnotize this move into reality I’d have Grealish on the left and Ødegaard on the right.

Martin Ødegaard is the modern 2013/14 Ozil. Same eye, modern work ethic. Makes complicated situations look easy and unafraid to try what most would pass up. I think Real Madrid would be mad to sell and I don’t think they will as they move on from Kroos and Modric. I include him as Madrid has always changed with the wind and they have a history of not having faith in him.

Ideally, Ødegaard would play at Arsenal in a ‘modern 10’ way. Feeling the game, the opportunity to overload but most importantly be available behind the ball as the transition player, much like how Villa use Grealish. This would need Arteta to relax his desire for all players to be ball facing and allow such a player to simply position himself for the transition. This switch would change everything at Arsenal. We’d have a forward pass and a player capable of turning and utilizing Pepe, Auba or Martinelli for a far more effective counter-attack.

https://youtu.be/XsotdumQBJo

Marcel Sabitzer (RB Leipzig) 26

Might be the perfect Arteta player. Plays in multiple positions and is effective in all of them. More of a goal threat than creator but we need both. I’ve seen Sabitzer at RB, DM, CM, RW and AM but I see him as the new Thomas Muller. A player who senses opportunity in the final third and needs freedom in order to feel the game. Due to his versatility and game intelligence, Sabitzer would need that freedom. To incorporate him at Arsenal I’d play him as a ‘free 8’ much as Ramsey should’ve been utilized. He could be our connector and offer a true goal threat too. Joe Willock offers the latter but can’t do the former. An upgrade allowing Willock to watch and learn.


Other options: Miguel Almiron (Newcastle), Nabil Fekir (Betis), Yusuf Yazici (Lille), Eriksen (Inter)

The wandering winger

This crew is similar to the Zone 14 players except they have more freedom. They float where the game takes them and can be of a goal threat.

Dominik Szoboszlai (RB Salzburg) 20

So, we all know a little or a lot about him as he’s the hot rumour. Firstly, his name is pronounced Sob-oss-lie, if you care about these things.

Szoboszlai has a first touch like Berbatov, power on the dribble and a creative eye. Freekicks to die for too.
A player with this level of grace doesn’t normally evolve until they are older. He has clearly got the ability to be a generational talent. I see a natural footballer. A player that makes football look easier, almost artistic. You could build your team around him.

He currently plays on the left side of two attacking midfielders in a 4-2-2-2 Salzburg formation. Arsenal could play Szoboszlai in one of many positions. As an inverted left winger in one of two current formations. As a central connector or a ‘free 8’ in a 4-3-3.

His talent and profile could see him evolve into either a DM or CM too. Right now, Arsenal needs creativity AND goals and he has both. The left side of a midfield three as a ‘free 8’ would best fit with Martinelli potentially returning to the left-wing shortly.

Michael Olise (Reading) 18

One of the most talented footballers playing in the UK. A head full of ideas and the skill and athleticism to match. I’d be scared that Arteta would coach the street football out of him if I pay attention to what I’m currently seeing. Much like Benrahma and Eze, he could make the step.

The sensible side of me says that you feed him in slowly at Arsenal and yet I think slightly differently. If it were me I might give him a game or three to check it out and then I’d give him my full confidence. You could play him anywhere across the front three as he has goals, huge creativity and elite weight of pass. Potentially he would offer Arsenal both the creative and goal threat. I understand that it’s a big ask to move from Reading to Arsenal but like Watkins, Phillips, Eze, Buendia and others, they were just in the wrong league and they needed faith in them and a chance.

If you are not one for clicking on videos pretend that you are and watch this ⬇️. You could be like the ‘told you’ guy in the office.

Michael Olise makes me dream.

Emiliano Buendia (Norwich) 23

I’ve been fighting myself for a while over Buendia.

I watched him the first half of last season and saw exactly the type of player we need. Dribbling looked easy. Creating looked like his first thought over ball retention. Most impressively he had the rare subtle through ball that tempted the keeper but fooled him. Pukki owed him big.

Then I watched the second half of the season and saw his effectiveness subside. Playing for a failing side or found out?

I thought that Willian was capable as he has the profile but it seems he doesn’t have the same first thought which is what Arsenal need… a player who thinks turn, look forward, slide behind the defense or dribble.

Buendia has a tendency to start on the right but dribble diagonally, leaving the wing vacant for an overlapping full back. This would be how I’d use him at Arsenal. Finally, we’ve all seen the repeated diagrams where Arsenal have a crater in the attacking midfield area (or leaden-footed Lacazette). Sign Buendia, problem solved.

https://youtu.be/ZJ0HHvgn3Wc

Other options: Grealish, Coutinho, Bernardo, Isco

The ball carrier/ ‘8’

We have four of these at least but for various reasons we aren’t using them. Maitland- Niles could break lines but hasn’t mastered the final third. Willock the same except he offers a goal threat. Smith-Rowe lives in the doctors office. Partey could do it all if we had his twin brother to play DM. Willian has the skill set, but left his motivation in West London.

The likelihood is that whether one or more of the above can or will fulfill this role, we will sign an ‘8.’

Houssem Aouar (Lyon) 22

Will we go back? I think we might as Arteta is a big fan. He has the #1 quality that our current squad seems allergic to…. turning.

Aouar is a player that glides. He changes the pace of the game with sudden changes of direction, especially on the turn when receiving with his back to goal. Due to this quality if he came to Arsenal he would have to be given freedom to move centrally as well as wide as his attributes suit both. Arsenal also needs a small spaces player so we can ditch the horseshoe football and give confidence to Arteta that we can play laser passes between the lines. Once Aouar turns, it’s all on. More than anything, he would offer our forwards the opportunity to be freed up. A player attacking the backline would bring a defender towards him. Slot passes to Auba that we’ve never utilized.

With Aouar being dropped from the Lyon squad and Lyon being in financial trouble, we might get a cut-price deal.

Again, I say watch this video and I challenge you to tell me someone who can turn/change direction quicker than Aouar.

Rodrigo DePaul (Udinese) 26

The ultimate modern-day midfielder. Offers absolutely everything from effective high pressing, two glorious fast feet and persistent defensive running ability. He can play in any midfield position, as a DM, CM or AM. An Arteta dream?

If Arsenal chose him I believe that he would be best used as a central midfielder but likely in a rotational midfield so as to use him to his optimum.

He would modernize Arsenal’s midfield in any way you asked.

Starting for Argentina in a talented midfield. A player that Leeds were close to this summer.

https://youtu.be/Iquox79k3_k

Other options: Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Julian Draxler (PSG), Julian Brandt (Dortmund), John McGinn (Villa)

The traditional winger

Creative individualists. A traditional winger. If we switch Aubameyang and/or Martinelli to CF and if we saw Saka elsewhere then maybe creativity comes this way.

Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal) 21

Speed and skill galore. Won’t be a yellow submarine long. I’m somewhat surprised that he’s still there actually but probably better for his development. This would likely only happen if we gave up on Pepe as Chukwueze is a very similar player arguably with more power, speed and consistency.

He currently plays in Pepe’s position and would likely play there for Arsenal. He would hopefully solve the manic inconsistent performances of Pepe and get the same product but more frequently.

I’d think we’d all agree that Pepe at his best is deadly yet we never know which guy has jogged out of the tunnel.

https://youtu.be/OAyiNv0VFeU

Jeremie Boga (Sassuolo) 23

The former Chelsea wonder kid has flourished in Italy. Electric pace and directness but very one-footed. Getting rave reviews and definitely worth consideration. Likely to go to one of the Italian big boys but the PL are aware of him.

Boga at Arsenal would offer Auba levels of speed from the left but elite dribbling ability that neither Auba or Martinelli offer. Would probably see the end of Nelson as he is a very similar player. Maybe we should trust Nelson before we dive into the market?

https://youtu.be/xaACjB9PCW0

Other options: Silas Wamangituka (Stuttgart), Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea), Milot Rashica (Bremen), Ousmanne Dembele (Barcelona), Wilf Zaha (Palace), Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig), Raphael Leao (AC Milan),
Marcus Thuram (Moenchengladbach)

Free Thomas Partey

Is part 1 of the creative solution to free Thomas Partey to play box to box? Not the end game but part of the plan. Step one might be to get a defensive midfielder or a central midfielder with strong defensive qualities.

Yves Bissouma (Brighton) 24

It takes a while for me to recognize a top player at the other end of the PL table. I should start to realize that all teams in the league have gems and much like how Liverpool has snagged Southampton players and made them elite, they are there.

If you write a list of skills needed in our midfield I’d say it looks something like this… athleticism, speed, quickness, aggression, intimidator, fast feet, two-way running ability and comfort on the ball. This is a long list of which Xhaka and Ceballos have only one of these qualities at best.

Bissouma may play for BHA but he has all of them. Not necessarily top level at all but a far higher ceiling.
We’d use him as a natural DM in a 4-3-3 allowing Partey to advance. This would solve so many issues as it would give emotional and mental comfort and freedom to those in the back and upfront. A true DM (Vieira, Silva) gave wings to so many. Game changer.

https://youtu.be/-rnALoAlrdU

Renato Sanches (Lille) 23

Similar feet to Santi. Quickness of a winger and strength of center-back. I’m very interested but would want to know why he was so poor at Swansea before I fully believed what my eyes have recently seen. I predict that Real Madrid will go for him. If Arsenal took the chance they’d receive Arteta’s dream. A hybrid modern athlete who can destroy and create.

At Arsenal he could play in a 2 man midfield allowing us to play a true creator in front or in any of the three midfield positions in a three man midfield. Sanches is a very interesting player as bar goals, he has everything Arsenal lack in midfield. If we don’t sign him, I’d say we will sign someone with the same hybrid profile.

Florian Neuhaus (Moenchengladbach) 23

The unknown gem of the Bundesliga. Like Kalvin Phillips, he marries a strong defensive game with top passing ability. Moenchengladbach has many players (including his partner, Zakaria) that are catching the eye.

Like Bissouma he is a true DM, less athletic but better on the ball. Either way, a huge upgrade on the player that we bought from the same club. He would give Arsenal the ability to play through the middle without fear of transition and no chance of catching said transition.

Boubakary Soumare (Lille) 21

The modern-day player. Strong, fast, athletic and skillful.

Arsenal has interest but will they spend big on such a young player for such an important position?
Interestingly he tackles better with his left foot but passes better with his right. Two footed which is a big benefit and would offer balance to Partey.

Similar to Sanches and plays alongside him but taller and less experienced at big clubs and in the PL. Somebody will take the risk on Soumare and if it’s Arsenal then we get a central midfielder/DM combo with one of the highest ceilings of any young midfielder in Europe.

https://youtu.be/_xecEhqIu6o

Other options: Berge (SHU), Ndidi (Leicester), Witzel (Dortmund), Merino (Real Sociedad), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Erick Pulgar (Fiorentina), Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo), Kessie (Milan), Rodrigo Bentacur (Juventus), William Carvalho (Betis), Teun Koopmeiners (AZ Alkmaar), Amadou Diawara (Roma)

Set play wizard

I’m not going all American Football here, I’m aware that this type of player has to offer more and I have two to consider. It is fair to add though that most teams average 8–10 corners or attacking free kicks each game and many games are won by someone with creative feet at the dead ball.

Just wanted to give you two names to think on…

James Ward Prowse (Saints) 26 and Hakan Calhanoglu (Milan) 26

My Conclusion:

Firstly, if we had £100M and if he’d leave, I’d sign Grealish. He’d be perfect.

Not likely so…

I would sign two creative players as I wouldn’t want to put the burden on one. As you’ve seen with our midfield , when our only ideal candidate gets injured, we are back at square one.
I’d buy Szoboszlai and Buendia. You could get both for £40M.

Buendia could make a more immediate impact and offer the connector we are desperate for.

Szoboszlai could eventually be elite and this is a great opportunity for Arsenal and a good next step for him. He also has a more rounded game and Arsenal need a goalscoring threat as much as creativity and he has both.

I’d also love to wander to my dream state and sell as many of the 12 I feel need to depart. Unlikely until summer but if it were possible to sell a few we could expedite the transition and create a modern athletic midfield allowing Thomas Partey to move forward and be part of the creative solution.

I’d sign Yves Bissouma as a true modern DM who would give others behind and ahead of him the confidence to focus on their game.

I’d pursue Renato Sanches too.

Bissouma, Partey and Sanches would suit Arteta’s desire for hybrid, athletic, rotational players.
A beautiful dream and again, more likely in the summer.

What will Arsenal do?

I think that we will sign Buendia as his impact is both short and long term.

I also think we are after a ‘special’ player which I think will be a loan. A player discussed by Fabrizio Romano and a player discussed in my Striker blog upcoming.

In that blog I will look at choices of Strikers/Number 9’s. We will also discuss whether we go for more creativity and choose a False Nine instead.

Well, there you go! We got there without mentioning Dele Ali!

You can follow me @mike_mmcdonald if you are interested in checking out my post-match blog on GunnersTown, ‘Positives, Needs and Hopes.’

_____________________________

NOW LISTEN TO OUR NEW PODCAST.

We invited Janan Ganesh – elite columnist for the Financial Times – to contribute to a podcast about the state of Arsenal as we stand. We talk about Arteta is clear-eyed terms (even me), we discuss leadership, the failing football strategy, and we also deep-dive on the players. It is NOT to be missed.

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Graham62

Goobergooner

Granit Xhaka.

HerbsArmy

WE Arsenal’s problems are self-inflicted, but it didn’t start with Arteta, Emery or even Wenger. Either side of WWII, Arsenal were a different animal, you will know how we completely dominated the 1930’s because that’s who we were and it’s what Arsenal did. Now we can argue that the War changed attitudes and priorities, but it’s almost as if the Arsenal that went into the War never came back. This for me is the root of all Arsenal’s problems. Instead of the dynamic exciting club Arsenal had been, the new owners were snobbish elitist Old Etonians, who put their own… Read more »

SpanishDave

I think we have been patient with the club.
We had ten years of Wenger slowly getting worse
We have a rotten owner who treats the club as a piece of real estate.
We’ve had five years of Xhaka !
and now two coaches in a row who hav’nt got the answers.
We have a huge squad of mercenaries and a age youth players and now at our lowest point.

It’s going to take some big changes to get the club going again, but how and when ?

Graham62

Arsenal FC has become a gravy train for so many.

Danny+S

January will be very telling this year.

Personally the main change I’d like to see would be Edu out and maybe Overmars in as a proper DoF.

I could live with an Ajax model I think to get us going.

Graham62

HerbsArmy

“I would love Arsenal to approach football with the same attitude as Liverpool“

Different philosophies and mindset, different environment/social dynamics and different demographics.

Do you think Liverpool fans would tolerate what’s gone on at Arsenal over the past decade or so?

I don’t think so.

Graham62

Spanishdave

“We’ve had five years of Xhaka!”

Says it all really.

Goobergooner

Graham
“Granit xhaka”

Looooool

Graham62

Liverpool will always be an English club.

Arsenal lost this identity long ago.

Am I allowed to say this?

It’s true though.

Graham62

Goobergooner

What’s so funny?

Are you a Xhaka fan?

Goobergooner

Danny S. The Ajax model or Dortmund or even RB Leipzig or RB Salzburg. Get RB on our sponsorship to promote youth and excellence, and we’d be a way better team. We are trying to be man U/man City/Chelsea without the funding. If we legitimately went project youth like those clubs above, but actually used our prestige, world class training facilities and a proper future to young players, we could.be the Dortmund/athletico of our league and I’d say we’d be competing most years. Our problem is no-one at the top cares. And we just keep giving over the hill players… Read more »

Goobergooner

Graham,

Hahahaha ive called xhaka out here for years and been berated 😂😂. Just made me laugh as your comment was so true.

Bertfish

Pedro,

Can you send Mikes report to Arsenal to forward on to Arteta & Edu as they need to see this before they fuck up another window!

Mike has not just listed a load of good players but has picked the players that would fit in to the team perfectly. You can see if we were able to get 2 or 3 of these players then we are suddenly on a different level!

Goobergooner

5 years of xhaka makes me cry a little inside.

Gets cc hard though ( E a d mate)

HerbsArmy

Graham I didn’t say for Liverpool to copy us, I suggested Arsenal copy them. Of course you’re right about social dynamics and demographics, up north you have to work that little bit harder for your rewards, down south they expect it served on a plate. Northerners are not poisoned with a sense of entitlement. When Arsenal won their first title in 1931, they were the first southern club to break what was largely a northern stranglehold since the league began in 1888. The sun shines in the south and it pisses down in the north. When you say different mindset/philosophies,… Read more »

Graham62

Why does Trump have zero-empathy.

He should be committed.

What an asshole.

Goobergooner

Trump is the epitome of a cunt

Graham62

Goobergooner

Oh good, you had me worried for a bit there.

🍺🍺

Goobergooner

Hahahaha I’d be worried myself if I believed in old granite foot xhaka

Kris

Szoboszlai has been contacted by Zidane in the last few days reportedly.

I think it will be tough getting him.
– If he wants further development, RB Leipzig is probably an easier choice for him than us
– If he hopes for a shot at instant stardom, Real is a better choice.

South African Gooner

Bertfish ****Can you send Mikes report to Arsenal to forward on to Arteta & Edu as they need to see this before they fuck up another window!**** It would be very useful as Edu has sacked all the scouts. He has a plan though. Call the Kia hotline. if there a man more under qualified and useless than Edu working in world soccer- you would do well to find him. Arteta and Edu and Vinny and Josh- that aint getting Arsenal back to the top anytime soon. They all need to go! How I Wish, I could be Tim Lewis… Read more »

Goobergooner

CG you are one of a kind

China1

5 years of Granit is it? The first name on the team sheet in midfield for the vast majority of those 5 years. Feels more like 10. It just never ends does it

China1

Which creative midfielders does Kia have?

Brace for their arrival

China1

Leipzig is a more stable choice but lacks any prestige. When you look back on your career, you want to have a nice list of names on there – Leipzig is so forgettable. I’m biased ofc but if I wanted a project club where I could develop I would put arsenal as a much cooler choice than Leipzig. Who wants to live in Leipzig??? At arsenal he’d have lower expectations than at real and Bayern but he’d also have the chance of being a part of a new generation of arsenal that could go on and do things. Leipzig are… Read more »

Marc

“Call the Kia hotline.”

Pedro spent how many months with an unrelenting attack on Sanllehi over his “contact” based transfer activity now Edu seems to be doing much the same the silence is almost deafening – he did have a little pop the other day but that was more about position blame for Arteta’s failings that anything else.

Where’s the consistency? If something is a bad way of doing things should it not matter who’s doing it?

South African Gooner

Graham

****Arsenal FC has become a gravy train for so many.****

We HAVE a manager – weak as piss- who faciltiates it.

Example of The Arsenal Gravy Train.

Restauarant.: Babbo
Locaton: Mayfair, London
Owners: Luiz and Willan
Owners Hobbies; Playing for The Arsenal
Owners Income: Astronomical.

And Artets loves these 2 players.
They are a fundamental part of his ‘Process.’

And according to Bellerin, Arteta is building something BIG

I Call it for what it really is though. Bullshit!

Goobergooner

Marc that last sentence is too true to even laugh at

Marc

Goober

As much as I enjoy taking the piss out of Pedro the fact is we all come here to read what he writes about the Arsenal. Sometimes we agree with him sometimes we don’t but if it becomes a case of it being about his favourites or individuals he dislikes over whats right and wrong how can we trust his opinion on anything without asking “what’s the agenda”.

Marc

CG

I’ll be honest I couldn’t give a shit what business interests players have off the field providing they are doing their jobs on the pitch. If they are not performing on the pitch everything else is irrelevant.

andy1886

Lots of talk about buying players but why shouldn’t the Kroenkes expect the manager to get the most out of what he has before throwing good money after bad? All very well moaning about player quality but do we have the 14th best squad in the PL? You must be joking, top eight easily. MA is looking more and more like Pep and I don’t mean that in a good way. Can’t win unless he has the best players and a huge budget. Hardly ‘generational’.

Marc

andy We’ve gone from having a (weaker) squad finish 5th 2 points off 3rd which wasn’t good enough to be a few results off a relegation scrap in 18 odd months having lost a couple of players but adding some really good additions. No one ever thought the squad was the finished article but we’ve got a striker who in the 3 previous seasons has a goal return that is golden boot territory who couldn’t score in a brothel right now, a team that scored 73 goals season before last under a poor manager who now have the 4th lowest… Read more »

Bojangles

Why not wait to see who comes in (if anyone) before getting dramatic over Kia’s stable.

South African Gooner

W

****I’ll be honest I couldn’t give a shit what business interests players****

Well you should.

it sets an utterly appalling precedent.

(Willian in Dubai is just an example- get cooking tips from that celebrity chef)

We need the tunnel vision and focus of the All Blacks or the mighty Springboks.

Arteta’s Elite Culture and Non Negotiable nonsense did not last long then,

Maybe we will soon have the team meetings at Babbo!

Bullshit FC!

Goobergooner

Marc, That is it. I’ve been reading this blog for as long as most and it is just funny how the agendas changed as the manager did. But don’t get me wrong, and I see you’re the same, we both appreciate what this blog gives, in terms of Pedro’s commitment and also the way he does let shit go both ways despite his own opinion. And I can tell we both respect him for that above all else haha. It is funny as fuck though seeing how opinions change over time and people were all about sharing Pedro’s sentiment with… Read more »

HerbsArmy

It’s incredibly strange what’s been allowed to happen at Arsenal when you consider the amount of high-profile celebrity ‘fans’ out there (and a lot more influential than Piers Morgan!).
I think the almost Pythonesque comedic soap-opera that has become Arsenal negates a lot of rage, because no top club has angered their supporters quite as prolifically as Arsenal, and then blindly proceeded to compound that anger by making a hopeless situation even worse.

Emiratesstroller

I have no issue with recruitment through “super agents” if you want to recruit the best players and money is no object. Okay I don’t like the ethics and business practices of some of these people, but at the end of the day you need to work with such people if they represent the players you want to buy. Moving on I am not of the school of thought who is constantly criticising every player on our books who you dislike. For example I do think that Xhaka is a better player than most who post on here believe. The… Read more »

Nelson

Marc

Are you allowed to eat inside a restaurant in London.Here we have only takeout or ask “uber eats” to deliver?

Sid

A manager who signs Soares & Willian, offers mustafinovs and xhakalson a lifeline.
Signs 2 of ligue 1 generational talent defenders and la ligas DM yet fails to improve the teams defensive stats.
Cannot and should not be trusted with transfer funds.

Sid

‘For example I do think that Xhaka is a better player than most who
post on here believe. The problem with him has more to do with the overall weaknesses and
quality of players around him.’

Someone give this man a hard kick in the anus!

Danny+S

Emirates Have you actually watched Xhaka play? Have you seen him wander about the pitch when not in possession? He doesn’t close down, he doesn’t mark a player. He watches the ball and just trots to a position between it and the goal. He also very quickly loses interest when not fully invested in the game. The flip side of his game of course, is to recklessly charge in when not in possession and scythe people down. When fully switched on and engaged, he can put in some pretty nice passes, but that doesn’t happen often enough to warrant a… Read more »

Emiratesstroller

Sid

I pose a question to you

If Jordan Henderson was playing in Arsenal’s midfield rather than for Liverpool do you think
that posters on Le Grove would rate him better than Xhaka?

The difference is that he is playing in a better team than we are but as a player on his
merits is bang average.

Goobergooner

ES “The problem with him has more to do with the overall weaknesses and quality of players around him.” In regards to xhaka I’m totally opposite in view. Even players like Ceballos and elneny are better players next to a solid CM, let alone if we had 2 great CMS. Xhaka has been the single player in our midfield who has not actually brought anything over the years, except a good long ball from deep when he isn’t pressured. In every other situation he is shit. Every coach/manager we have had has had to try and nullify his weaknesses to… Read more »

Goobergooner

But for our* team

Pierre

Graham “Do you think Liverpool fans would tolerate what’s gone on at Arsenal over the past decade or so?I don’t think so.” 30 years without a league title and they stayed loyal to the end…if any fans should feel entitled it would have been liverpool’s fans , that title is one trophy we will always win I’m afraid… The WOB movement started not long after our last title success and i would say they have done more damage to the club than anyone.. One would have thought they would be hiding their heads in shame at the way things have… Read more »

Goobergooner

And his self awareness for his slow strut off the field when we needed a goal and for play to hurry up; to then get jeered and proceed to tell the fans to fuck off. He should have been booted then and there.

He keeps showing how much of a dumb kent he is with his antics and it’s just poor from him however you look at it

englandsbest

Pedro

The internet is awash with excellent articles that you can read for free. And people have spent a great deal of effort writing them. But it’s not disrespectful to disagree with their judgement.

Same here on your site.

To repeat, football is a simple game. And the best managers know (and knew) this very well.

Goobergooner

Pierre, It wasn’t fans who bought noone but Cech in a summer window when we literally could have bought a player to fill proper holes in the squad to take us to first that season. It was was Wenger’s economic views of the club that led to him being over cautious with funds. Aka no balls to push the boat out. Just one example of the shit that went on. Wenger was done well and truely before he left. And you can’t seriously deny that. And you also can’t deny that the club’s board has been just as shit as… Read more »

S Asoa

Sid
You might hurt Senor Arteta.
Looks like he got in there first , the way he drools over Xaka

Nelson

Burnley scores

S Asoa

Emirates
On the other hand , our average defence becomes a disaster since the flimsy slack G-string Xaka does not hold up . Instead he keeps on back-passing putting more pressure on nervous Leno et al

Goobergooner

I’d prefer coquelin over xhaka

HerbsArmy

Pierre Wenger is just as complicit and responsible for our decline as anyone else at the club. He laughed off the fact that our neighbours had overtaken us, operating on a much smaller scale, as though it were a fluke one-off. But by the end of his time, the smaller club left him behind and he didn’t have the intelligence to catch them. And what I find incredibly naive about Wenger going back to 2009, CL semi-final, we somehow escaped the 1st leg at OT with a 1-0 defeat, everything to play for in the 2nd leg at home. He… Read more »

HerbsArmy

Spot on Goober

S Asoa

ANM in interview specifically mentioned he gave leggs to the midfield. A snide aside to the perennial Arsehole ( no legs) adorning the midfield

Goobergooner

Was just about to say the same herb! 😂

S Asoa

Mourinho mind game to force Arteta to play Williams !

“ Jose Mourinho has warned his Tottenham players that Willian is still ‘dangerous’ despite his recent poor form for Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s side travel to Spurs on Sunday for the first north London derby of the season.

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2020/12/05/jose-mourinho-warns-tottenham-players-about-dangerous-willian-ahead-of-arsenal-clash-13704905/?ito=cbshare
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

HerbsArmy

Wenger allowed some seriously shocking ‘footballers’ to wear the Arsenal shirt, and if he’d tried pulling those fraudulent manoeuvres in any other area of life he would probably be doing a healthy stretch.
I’d have gladly brought back the guillotine.

Rich

Graham 08.58 “If it was up to me the following players would not be in the current team.GX Willian. Luiz. Bellerin. Leno( if Arteta had not cocked things up with Martinez)I would also have retained Torreira and Guendouzi” Xhaka – is playing recently because Elneny had COVID, and Partey injured. That means we’ve been left with Xhaka + Ceballos. Willian – on a 3 year deal was mental, but we don’t really know who to pin that on? Someone’s head should roll for that decision, maybe it already has? Arteta still has to work with the player though. Luiz –… Read more »

Sid

Jordan Henderson is more of Guen but stronger, Xhaka is terrible,
apart from athletic limitations he has zero drive, i suspect its part of the reason he never gets injured.

Luiz at CB has been given more responsibility and done better in creating for the team than Xhakalson.

Let that sink in.

Rich

Sid

Players generally have a significant increase in their physical developments between the ages of 22-24.

Henderson is 30, Guendouzi is 21.

In 2 years time, it’ll likely be the opposite, Henderson will be dropping off physically, and Guendouzi will become more dominant.

It’s called ageing.

Emiratesstroller

Sid

Xhaka is not terrible, but as I posted average. Most clubs including past Arsenal teams have
got similar standard players in their squads who do not attract this level of bile.

Henderson is also a bang average player, but the difference is that he plays in a more successful team.

G8

I don’t know for how long did Wengers cult wanted him to stay, probably till death do us part !!
the man did excellent job for 12 years or so, started to get complacent and eventually negligent, compounded with arrogance and self entitlement.behaviour
He became bigger than the club that gave him the ground to make a name in world football
Yes it goes both ways!
At the end he had to go with the good, bad and ugly plus 100 millions in his bank account !

Marc

Emirates

Henderson is an average player he’s also 10 times the player Xhaka is.

I’ve never seen a player so bad who’s got so many minutes for the club and is paid so much.

Goobergooner

Yeah Henderson is better than xhaka in nearly all aspects.

Freddie Ljungberg

“Ian Wright says the negative style of play on offer from Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka in recent weeks has almost made him ‘burst into tears'”

https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/arsenal-ian-wright-granit-xhaka-19405499

Wrighty knows what’s up.

Thankfully it looks like Arteta has realised what a complete dud Xhaka is too now and is only playing him out of necessity and not by default. Too bad he didn’t have that epiphany 11 months ago!

Freddie Ljungberg

Also they spelled years wrong.

Goobergooner

Freddie 😂😂

Marc

Freddie

Sorry mate I tend to have a sense of humour failure where Xhaka’s concerned.

Goobergooner

I feel bad for xhaka though. He’s just trying his best, just isn’t the player we needed, especially for the price and wage

Moray

Interesting post. Thanks for that. With all this talent around one wonders how we have ended up with the chumps we have. Whatever we do, we have to fix that creativity hole in the middle of the pitch. Seeing these players who are very comfortable on the ball, on the turn, taking on and going past players, transitioning…it makes you realise how poor we’ve become, individually as well as from a team perspective. Is this kind of aggression and craft not being encouraged and trained in our team? I’m not sure if Willian changed nationality, but he’s playing like a… Read more »

Left Testicle

Yes, so much talent about and we end up with Willian on a three year deal and choose to retain Xhaka when we had a buyer.

Biggles

I enjoyed this post, thanks for it.

What strikes me about it is that Mike managed to find and identify loads of talent – much of which I’ve never heard of – that solves actual issues we have with the squad.

And yet our own scouting network hasn’t found anybody bar Martinelli in years. Our “scouting” seems to amount to flicking through the bundesliga team of the year and following Chelsea’s gumtree account for pre-loved has-beens.

Graham62

Pierre

Re: Your 12:17 post.

I see it the other way around.

It’s the AKB’s who were the major cause of our decline.

Applauding our persistent weaknesses and capitulations.

Graham62

Nick Pope.

Why do we overlook obvious talent.

Top top keeper.

TR7

Henderson is average but Xhaka is horrible and so is Iwobi. Amazes me how he still is a EPL player.

Rich

Our scouting, recruitment, and allocation of funds, has been atrocious.

Putting down €50mill cash for Partey, isn’t clever scouting, all we needed was the money.

There’s a lot of pressure now on Edu.

Lacazette looked good in the No10 role on Thursday, it’s something Steve Bould has previously championed.

Wonder if we’ll see a 4-4-1-1 on Sunday?

With Aubameyang central, and Lacazette in the No10 role?

…………..Leno
…..Mustafi Gabriel
Bellerin……….Tierney
…….Partey Elneny
Willian Laca Saka
……Aubameyang

Kris

“Name a young player, ANYONE, that Wenger improved during his long stay at Arsenal.”

This has got to be the dumbest post in the history of this blog, you sad cunt.

Graham62

Rich

Your choice.

As for GX.

We have Ceballos, AMN, Willock and even ESR as options.

Bellerin remains a liability and never looks comfortable with or without the ball.

Sorry, but will argue until I’m blue in the face in respect to the MartInez/ Leno debacle. Been doing that anyway.

Torreira, given the correct role, could have been an important cog in our team.

Guendouzi is a rough diamond but still believe Arteta made a mistake.

Luiz remains a liability and always will.

As for Willian………….No thanks!

Receding Hairline

Iwobi is a shockingly average footballer who some reason can pick a pass, i was over the moon when he was sold despite the fact he was Nigerian but it has to be said when it comes to care on the ball and passing he is far ahead of Auba and Lacazette, those two are so careless with their passing it makes me want to puke

Graham62

If Xhaka plays tomorrow, I’ll drive a taxi to the Emirates to pick Arteta up.

Wearing a mask of course.

Rich

Graham I’d rather have kept Martinez, his handling was superb, and he commanded his box much better. Luiz is a liability, I agree, but we don’t have another centre half who can play through the lines. Bellerin is a liability at times, I agree, but I don’t think our other options are any better. Up until we signed Partey, Xhaka has been our best available, and most experienced central midfielder over the past 2 years, but that says more about the inexperience and poor quality of our alternatives, than it does about Xhaka’s quality. Guendouzi will likely develop into a… Read more »

Sid

‘Up until we signed Partey, Xhaka has been our best available, and most experienced central midfielder over the past 2 years’

Rotating Torr, Guend Elneny would have been a better option than having Xhakalson playing
Shows the cluelessness if the managers involved.
Im telling you for free!

Graham62

Rich

And then you wonder why the players had a heated discussion this week.

Graham62

Sid

I agree.

What exactly does Xhaka offer us?

Zilch.

South African Gooner

Rich *****Willian – on a 3 year deal was mental, but we don’t really know who to pin that ***** Pin it on all of the Dopes. What did the gormless one , Josh state not so long back? **We have a CL wage bill on a EL budget** No way- no way is Mr. Non Negotiable getting off the hook with this one, Or Cedric, Or Mari, Or Luiz., He is a control freak: he has already said on the record he is looking for ‘moles’ So he must have signed off on Willian’s x 156 weeks retirement package… Read more »

Marc

Graham

I’d fill your car up with petrol then if I were you as there’s a 50 50 chance of Xhaka starting.

Marc

CG’s got a valid point about the “CL wage bill on a EL budget” we get within sight of losing a massive chunk off the wage bill and then stick someone on 200 grand a week who’s been utterly pants.

The really depressing part is that with the way things look we’re going to have a “CL wage bill with no European football at all”.

TR7

Really hate how players go down in the box even at the slightest of touches. Rules need to be amended to discourage it.

Dissenter

I’ve never seen a perpetual EL team with so many players on high wages.
It’s insane the way we Arsenal is being run.

Rich

Elneny adds some energy and tidy passing, but there’s a reason he was out on loan in Turkey last season, he’s average. Guendouzi was 19/20, I think he’ll develop into a really top player if he matures off the pitch, but he’s still raw. Torreira has even less physicality than Xhaka. I like Ceballos, but he’s a work in progress, and also lacks dynamism. At the start of last season Xhaka had more experience than Ceballos, Guendouzi, Torreira and Willock combined. Xhaka is a slightly above average midfielder, and I’m delighted we’ve signed an upgrade in Partey. I’m not making… Read more »

Dissenter

Guendouzi is one of the most keen young footballers I’ve seen recently.
The lad never hides and always made himself available for the ball. He’s the type of player that will rally his team mates after a bad goal is conceded.
He’s the type of player you want around in a NLD.

Rich

South African Gooner

You don’t know though do you?

You’re creating a narrative, without any actual evidence.

I agree with you that the signings of Cedric, Mari and Willian we’re strange.

Maybe Arteta did green light those deals?

Maybe he didn’t?

All we know, is Raul was mates with their agents, and he was sacked.

Unless we get official word otherwise?

Then I’m only judging Arteta and Edu on the decisions made, after Raul’s departure.

Drawing conclusions to suit your narrative, without any proof to back up your claims, is straight up basket case.

Guns of SF

Xhaka just retreats full speed….

Guns of SF

A CM needs to cover the defense and also try some semblance of creating, with clever passing. getting the offense going, pushing up, assisting and scoring a couple times per season.

Xhaka does nothing like that

I really hope TP is health the remainder of the season….

Enough has been said about Xhaka. I just want to see if Arteta selects his buddy again tomorrow

Dissenter

Guns of SF
That TikTok video was the Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C official account.
I cannot think of a more disgraceful conduct that for one club to mock another professional in that manner.

Traore took apart our team last Sunday. He disrobed Bellerin and Tierney too.

I can’t wait for Xhaka to just leave the club….time to get our Arsenal back.

Rich

We should have gone with Niles on the left against Wolves, he handled Traore with easy last season.
Niles is rapid, and brilliant in 1 v 1 situations

Guns of SF

Wolves might be doing us a favor ….
Xhaka might leave on his own. maybe? hopefully??

We had an offer for him but did not take it. Mind numbing

Dissenter

Look at the ignoramus who’s directing a comment at me.

Take your bullshit somewhere, you’re the smegma of this blog.